Automatic expanding shaftless chuck



P. W. JACOBSEN Y Rzzz/ W dcobsezz Filed June 15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed June 15. 1955 JELFEIZUT Pazz/ 1 1 r/zzc'absezz United StatesPatent AUTOMATIC EXPANDING SHAFTLESS CHUCK Paul W. Jacobsen, Kiel, Wis.,assignor to H. G. Weber & Company, Inc., Kiel, Wis., a corporation ofWiscousin Application June 15, 1955, Serial No. 515,587

4 Claims. (Cl. 242-72) The present invention relates to anautomaticexpanding shaftless chuck, and more particularly to an automatic chuckmechanism such as one for a shaftless roll stand.

In the handling of rolls of sheet material, for unwinding the rolls orpulling the web or sheet material there from, the rolls are usuallysupported on a roll stand having arms carrying a shaft passing throughthe center core of the roll. The roll stand supports the roll, which iscarried on the shaft, off the floor so that the roll may be unwound andthe sheet material or web pulled therefrom.

While such mechanisms have been in common use for many years, thenecessity of supporting the roll on a shaft has been an undesirablefeature of such roll stands since initiating operation of the mechanismto support the roll has been a complex and time-consuming procedure witha result that there has been a great amount of down time. Additionally,utilization of these shafttype roll stands has caused some difficulty inoperating the roll stand to provide for properly edge-aligning the rollso that the web pulled therefrom will pass into subsequent machinery inproper alignment therewith.

Of course, numerous other obvious and unobvious difliculties andcomplexities have attended the utilization of roll stands employing ashaft for passing through the roll core supporting the roll. All ofthese difiiculties are obviated, however, by the present invention whichprovides a new and improved chuck operable for utilization with a rollstand and which is effective to eliminate any need for a shaft to passthrough the roll core. By the principles of the present invention theroll may be conveniently gripped within the core thereof at the axialends thereof by the chucks of invention and simultaneous or othersynchronous operation of the roll stand arms theneasily permits liftingthe roll. Additionally, the utilization of chucks embodying theprinciples of this invention easily permits grasping the roll by theroll core to support the same by the simple maneuver of axially movingthe chuck through movement'of the roll stand arms in a direction on theaxis of the chuck.

When providing a roll stand with chucks embodying the principles of thisinvention, the roll is gripped merely by moving the roll stand armstowards each other so that the chucks pass into the hollow roll core andslight further movement of the roll stand arms causes the chucks tofirmly and positively grip the inner surface of the roll core.Thereupon, the roll may be lifted with a minimum of down time and aminimum of operating procedure.

When the roll is being rotated by pulling the web from the roll, thechucks which already tightly grip and lockup the'roll core, areefiective to increase the tightness and lock-up of their grip on theroll core thereby increasing the tightness of the grip as the webtension may increase.

' A chuck embodying the principles of thi sinvention utilizes a chuckcone mounted on a bearing shaft rotat- 2,908,452 Patented Oct. 13, 1959ably mounted in bearings on the roll stand arm. The chuck cone isprovided with ball races therein and individual chuck lugs or segmentseach having a ball race therein ride over rows of balls in the races orgrooves in the chuck cone. A resilient tire overlies the lugs or chucksegments to hold the same in position peripherally about the chuck cone.

In operation, the chuck is inserted into the roll core until the rollcore engages flanges at the bearing shaft end of the segments causingthe segments to move radially and axially as they roll on the balls inthe races and grooves on the cone which has a larger diameter at thebearing shaft end thereof. This expansion radially continues until theresilient tire surrounding the lugs expands to engage the inner face ofthe roll core and any further movement merely tightens the grip of thetire on the inner surface of the roll core. When it is desired torelease the roll, mere movement of the cone axially outwardly permitsthe resilient tire to cause the lugs to move axially and radiallyinwardly until the tire is released from the roll core.

It is, therefore, an important object and feature of the presentinvention to provide a new and improved roll stand with new and improvedroll chucks thereon.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved roll chuck which is automatically expandable and operable on ashaftless roll stand and effective itself as a shaftless chuck. 7

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved expanding chuck with a chuck cone and expanding lugs axiallymovable thereover for radial expansion.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved chuck for a shaftless roll stand having a chuck cone and racemember secured to a bearing shaft and provided with ball races thereinwith expansion lugs or chuck segments riding on balls in the ball racegrooves in the cone and a resilient tire overlying all of the segmentsretaining the same in place.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a chuck coneas described operable for automatic expansion and contraction forengagement and disengagement with a hollow core.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved chuck effective to increase the tightness of its grip on ahollow core as forces rotating the core, or the moment thereof,increases.

Still other objects, features and advantages of the present inventionwill become readily apparent from the following detailed description ofthe invention and embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from theaccompanying drawings in which each and every detail shown is fully andcompletely disclosed as a part of this specification, in which likereference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a roll stand utilizing chucks embodying theprinciples of this invention;

Figure 2 is an axial sectional view of a shaftless chuck embodying theprinciples of this invention and viewed as taken substantially along theline II-ll of Figure 1 with certain parts shown in elevation;

Figure 3 is a broken radial sectional view of the chuck of Figures 1 and2 viewed as taken substantially along the line III-III, and illustratingin one half thereof the chuck in an expanded condition and illustratingin the other half thereof the chuck in a contracted condition thereof;and

Figure 4 is a fragmental sectional view of the chuck of Figure 2 viewedas taken substantially along the line IV--IV of Figure 2.

As shown on the drawings:

There is illustrated in Figure l, a roll stand such as the roll standdescribed and claimed in the joint copending application for patentfiled by myself and Robert L. Beninger, Serial No. 565,907, filedFebruary 16, 1956, and entitled fRoll Stand, which is effective andoperable to move the arms 11 and 12 of the roll stand eitherindependently or jointly selectively as desired. Thus the roll stand 10is provided with a support structure 13 carrying the arms 11 and 12 andincludes drive mechanism to move each of the arms 11 and 12 away fromeach other or toward each other or to move the arms 11 and 12 togetherin any direction such as to the right or left or upwardly or downwardly.With this roll stand a roll of paper or other sheet material may begripped and thence raised off the floor for rotatably supporting thesame so that the Web may be pulled therefrom.

To support the roll, and grip the roll, chuck mechanisms 14 and 15 whichare slidably movable into the hollow roll core, are mounted in bearings16 and 17, respectively, on the outer ends of the arms 11 and 12,respectively. When the roll is rotatably supported on the chucks 14 and15, the web may be pulled from the roll and the tension in the web maybe controlled by such mechanisms as brakes 18 and 19 mounted on the endsof the arms '11 and 12 of the roll stand 10 and connected to the bearingshafts which are, in turn, connected to the chucks 14 and 15 so as toapply braking forces to the roll and the web being pulled therefrom.

As illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, only one chuck being illustratedsince both thereof are the same, the chuck 15 is secured to the bearingshaft 20 in the bearing 17. Particularly, the bearing 17 has a bearinghousing 21 mounted on and secured by any convenient means to the end ofthe roll stand arm 12 and is axially hollow as indicated at 22. Thebearing housing 21 is equipped with a pair of opposed combination thrustand rotary bearings 23 (only one of which is shown) here illustrated asbeing of the roller-type, and disposed to lockingly mount and secure thebearing shaft 20 against axial movement with respect to the bearinghousing. The bearings 23 are, as stated, illustrated as being of theroller-type having a plurality of rollers 24-24 rollingly disposed on aninclined outer race 25 shouldered in a recess 26 in the bearing housing21, and the rollers 24 further being rollingly disposed on an inclinedand flanged inner race 27 fitted onto the shaft 20. A hearing retainingplate 28 is secured to the end of the bearing housing 21 and overliesthe recess 26 and further overlies a major portion of the bearings 23 toprevent the bearings from displaceably moving out of the hollow 22 "inthe bearing housing 21. The bearing retainer plate 28 is in the form ofa ring and leaves clearance in its inner periphery for a flange shoulder29 at the chuck end of the bearing shaft 20, which flange shoulder abutsthe radial face of the inner bearing race 27.

Axially outwardly from the bearing 17, the bearing shaft 20 is providedwith a conically tapering end 30 to which the chuck 15 may be securedand mounted. This cone end 30 on the bearing shaft 20 is receivable inan appropriately conically-shaped recess 31 in the larger diameter axialend of a chuck cone and race member indicated generally at 32. Akeyway-like slot 33 (Figure 4) in the cone end 30 of the bearing shaft20, receives a flatted end 34 of a pin 35 which is press-fitted throughan aperture 36 which is substantially radially provided in the cone andrace member 32 of the chuck 15. The flatted end 34 of the pin 35 sointerfits with the keyway-like recess 33 in the cone end 30 of thebearing shaft 20 as to lock the chuck cone 32 and the bearing shaft 20together for corotation. At the same time, the pin 35 is sufficientlyshort that the chuck cone 32 and conical end 30 of the bearing shaft 20may be axially separated Without removing the pin 35 from the chuck cone32 and even without imparting any axial movement to the pin 35.

This relationship between the pin 35, the chuck cone 4 32, and thebearing shaft cone end 30, permits convenient replacement of the chuckcone 32 when it is desirable to replace the chuck cone with a larger orwith a smaller chuck cone for equipping the roll stand with a larger orwith a smaller chuck. Thus, numerous chucks of different sizes would allbe provided with chuck cones having conical recesses 31 therein whichare of the same size to properly interfit with the cone end 30 on thebearing shaft 20 and be locked thereon for corotation by pins 35 in thechuck cones 32 and having fiatted ends 34 interfltting with keyway-likerecesses 33 in the conical faces of the cone ends 30 of the bearingshafts 20.

When a selected size of chuck 15 is disposed on the cone end 30 of thebearing shaft 20, the assembly is locker together and in place by ascrew 37 having an elongated shaft passing through an axial aperture 38in the chuck cone 32, having a head 39 seated in a recess 48 in a chuckhead 41, and having a threaded end 42 threadably engaging a threadedrecess 43 axially provided in the bearing shaft '20 so that when thescrew 39 is tightly engaged with the bearing shaft 20, the entire chuckmechanism 15 is locked in place on the bearing shaft 20, or at least thechuck head 41 and the chuck cone 32, with its pin 35, are locked ontothe cone end 30 of the bearing shaft 20.

From immediately adjacent to a radial flange 44 on the end thereofadjacent to the bearing 17, the chuck cone 32 is conically tapered to arelatively small diameter at the end 45 thereof adjacent to the chuckhead 41. Along substantially the entire length of the conical surface ofthe chuck cone 32 there are provided a plurality of angularly spaced,longitudinally extending ball race grooves 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51,six thereof being shown, although it is readily recognized that theprecise number of ball race grooves in the cone 32 is not critical. Ineach ball race groove 46 through 51 there are provided a plurality ofroller balls 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57 and 58 of which the even numberedballs are slightly larger in diameter than the odd numbered balls sothat alternate roller balls are of equal diameters, while adjacentroller balls are of slightly different diameters. By the provision ofslightly smaller diameter balls between slightly larger diameter balls,ball spacers may be eliminated and the reversely rotating adjacentsurfaces of the larger roller balls are accommodated by reverselyrotating the smaller balls, whereby binding is avoided and the simplestof construction and most economical construction may be utilized.

Each row of balls supports and rollingly carries a chuck segment so thatchuck segments 59, 60, 61, 62, 63 and 64 roll on the individual rows ofballs and overlie the chuck cone grooves 46 through 51. For thispurpose, each of the chuck cone segments 59 through 64 is provided witha ball race groove on its inner face, as at 65 through 70. Thus, thechuck cone segments are rollingly supported on the rows of ballsrespectively for movement longitudinally on the chuck cone 32 so thatwhen they are rolled to the end of the chuck cone 32 adjacent to heflange 44 thereon, the segments or expansion lugs 59 through 64 willhave the greatest possible radial spacing while when they are rolled toa position adjacent to the chuck head 41, they will have a minimumradial spacing since they will have rolled radially inwardly on theinclined or conical face grooves of the cone 32, while having alsorolled longitudinally toward the head 41 of the chuck 15. Theextremities of the positoning and spacing of the lugs or segments arereadily illustrated by a comparison of the solid line positions thereforillustrating the lugs in their expandedmost positions at the maximumdiameter end of the cone, and the phantom line positions thereforillustrating the lugs at the minimum diameter end of the cone 32 wherethe lugs will have a minimum radial spacing.

To preserve the rolling relation between the lugs and the rows of ballson which they ride, each of the lugs is provided with a pair of radiallyinwardly extending end flanges 71 and 72 thereon at the bearing end andat the head end thereof'respectively. These flanges retain the balls inthe race grooves of the lugs. On the outer surfaces of the lugs, thelugs are recessed to receive a resilient expandable and contractibletire or tube 73, the outer surface 74 of which has a relatively highcoefficient of friction, the tire 73 overlying all of the segments andoperative to retain the segments in place on the rows of balls andproperly spaced about the chuck cone 32 and further tending, byresilient contracting forces therein, to move the lugs radially inwardlyso as to tend to move the lugs to the minimum diameter region of thechuck cone and thereby move the "lugs to the positions shown therefor inphantom outlines adjacent to the chuck head 41. It is this resilienttire or tubular member 73 formed of any suitable material such as rubberor a rubber-like material, which grips the inner surface of a hollowroll core when the roll is supported by the roll stand and the chucksare disposed within the roll core. The outer surfaces of the lugs areconfigurated to form a broken, substantially cylindrical surface forreceiving the tire 73 and to provide a substantially cylindrical andbacked outer surface for the tire 73 for properly gripping thecylindrical inner surface of a roll core. At the same time, to cooperatewith the chuck cone 32, the inner surfaces of the lugs or segmentscooperate to form a broken, substantially conical hollow or pyramidalhollow within the segments whereby the lugs may be supported rollinglyon the cone and provide the above-described substantially cylindricalouter surface.

In operation, when the chuck is free or fully disengaged from any rollcore, the tire 73 contracts the chuck seg ments to the phantom outlineposition where the outer surface of the tire 73 has a diameter slightlyless than the outside diameter or maximum diameter of the chuck head 41.This permits convenient free insertion of the chucks into the hollowroll core of a roll. When inserted into a roll core, the outer edge ofthe roll or roll core will engage radially outwardly extending flanges75 through 80 on the chuck segments or expansion lugs 59 through 64,respectively, and continued movement of the chuck into the roll core,axially, will drive the lugs toward the bearing shaft with a resultingexpansion in the spacing of the lugs and an expansion of the tire 73until the outer surface thereof frictionally grips the inner cylindricalsurface of the hollow roll core. ment or force tending to move the chuckinto the roll core will increase the frictional gripping force of thetire on the roll core. When so gripped, the roll will be rotatablysupported without a shaft extending therethrough and the bearings 23will permit rotation of the roll to pull the web therefrom.

The lugs are permitted to move only to a limited extent and if furthermovement thereof is required, it will be clearly evident that a largerchuck should be utilized. To provide for proper limiting stops for thelugs in an axial direction toward the bearing shaft and thereby providea proper stop for expansion of the lugs, the flange 44 of the chuck coneis provided with a threaded aperture near the outer peripheral edgethereof which receives a stop screw 81, the head 82 of which provides anadjustable stop to abut the face of any one of the flanges such as theflange 76 on the lug 60. The screw 81, when set at the desired stopposition, may be locked in place by a set screw or the like 83.

During operation of the roll stand when the web is being pulled from theroll supported on the chucks, and braking force is applied by the brakes18 and 19 to tension the web, the entire chuck rotates together with thebearing shaft 20 rotating in the bearing 17. At the same time, the lugs59 through 64 will rotate slightly about the row of balls supporting thesame thereby distorting the cylindrical surface formed by the lugs andthe cylindrical character of the tire 73 to increase the grip of thetire on the roll core. Thus it will be evident that as the tension onthe Web and the moment thereof operating through the radius Continuedmove- 6 of the roll increases, the distortion of the tire 73 willincrease to automatically increase the gripping force of the chuck onthe roll core and thereby operate to prevent any possible slippagebetween the chuck and the roll. I

Release of the roll core is easily effected by moving the roll standarms 11 and 12, individually or simultaneously, outwardly to therebywithdraw the chuck cone from the lugs and segments to the extent ofabutting the ends of the segments with the chuck head 41. At the sametime, the tire 73 will compressively move the seg ments radiallyinwardly and the core of the roll will be released by contraction of thetire 73. I

From the foregoing it will be readily observed that numerousmodifications and variations may be effected without departing from thetrue spirit and scope of the novel concepts and principles of thisinvention. I, therefore, intend to cover all such variations andmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the novelconcepts and principles of this invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A roll supporting structure for use in a shaftless roll stand andoperative to grip the core of a roll and rotatably support an end of theroll on an arm of the roll stand comprising, rotary bearings secured toanarm of the roll stand, a bearing shaft rotatably mounted in thebearings and secured therein against axial move ment with respectthereto, said bearing shafthaving "an inner end concially configurated,a chuck cone and race member having a conical recess in an end thereof,a pin force-fitted into an aperture in one end of said chuck cone andrace member and having a flattened end received in a keyway in theconical inner end of the bearing shaft to fix said chuck cone and racemember and bear,- ing shaft together for corotation, an annular chuckhead coaxially secured to the other end of said member by a screwextending through said member and threadably engaging said bearingshaft, a plurality of longitudinally extending ball race grooves in theouter face of the chuck cone and race member, a plurality of bearingballs disposed in each of said ball race grooves, a plurality of chuckrace segments equal to the number of ball race grooves in said member,each having a ball race groove therein to rollingly engage said bearingballs, said segments having an axial dimension less than the axialdimension of said chuck cone and race member, a resiliently expandablefriction tire overlying said segments and retaining said segments inplace and properly arranged, a radial flange on one end of said chuckcone and race member, radial flanges on the inner end of each of saidsegments adjacent to said flange on said member, and an adjustable stopcooperatively arranged with said flanges to limit movement of saidsegment-s toward said flange on said member and thereby limit radialexpansion of said tire effected by rolling of said segments on saidballs in the grooves in said chuck cone and race member toward one endthereof, said tire having a diameter greater than that of said chuckhead when expanded and less than that of said chuck head when contractedby release of said segments to roll toward said other end of said chuckcone and race member.

2. A roll supporting structure for use in a shaftless roll stand andoperative to grip the core of a roll and rotatably support an end of theroll on an arm of the roll stand comprising, rotary bearings secured toan arm of the roll stand, a bearing shaft rotatably mounted in thebearings and secured therein against axial movement with respectthereto, said bearing shaft having an inner end conically configurated,a chuck cone and race member having a conical recess in an end thereof,a pin force-fitted into an aperture in one end of said chuck cone andrace member and having a flattened end received in a keyway in theconical inner end of the hearing shaft to fix said chuck cone and racemember and bearing shaft together for corotation, a plurality oflongitudinally extending ball race grooves in the outer face of thechuck cone and race member, a plurality of bearing balls disposed ineach of said ball race grooves, a plurality of chuck race segments equalto the number of ball race grooves in said member, each having a ballrace groove therein to rollingly engage said bearing balls, saidsegments having an axial dimension less than the axial dimension of saidchuck cone and race member, a resiliently expandable friction tireoverlying said segments and retaining said segments in place andproperly arranged, a radial flange on one end of said chuck cone andrace member, radial flanges on the inner end of each of said segmentsadjacent to said flange on said member, and an adjustable stopcooperatively arranged with said flanges to limit movement of saidsegments toward said flange on said member and thereby limit radialexpansion of said tire effected by rolling of said segments on saidballs in the grooves in said chuck cone and race member toward one endthereof.

3. A roll supporting structure for use in a shaftless roll stand andoperative to grip the core of a roll and rotatably support an end of theroll on an arm of the roll stand comprising, rotary bearings secured toan arm of the roll stand, a bearing shaft rotatably mounted in thebearings and secured therein against axial movement with respectthereto, said bearing shaft having an inner end conically configurated,a chuck cone and race member having a conical recess in an end thereof,an annular chuck head coaxially secured to the other end of said memberby a screw extending through said member and threadably engaging saidbearing shaft, a plurality of longitudinally extending ball race groovesin the outer face of the chuck cone and race member, a plurality ofbearing balls disposed in each of said ball race grooves, a plurality ofchuck race segments equal to the number of ball race grooves in saidmember, each having a ball race groove therein to rollingly engage saidbearing balls, said segments having an axial dimension less than theaxial dimension of said chuck cone and race member, a resilientlyexpandable friction tire overlying said segments and retaining saidsegments in place and properly arranged, a radial flange on one end ofsaid chuck cone and race member, radial flanges on the inner end of eachof said segments adjacent to said flange on said member, and anadjustable stop cooperatively arranged with said flanges to limitmovement of said segments toward said flange on said member and therebylimit radial expansion of said tire eifected by rolling of said segments'on said balls in the grooves in said chuck cone and race member towardone end thereof, said tire having a diameter greater than that of saidchuck head when expanded and less than that of said chuck head whencontracted by release of said segments to roll toward said other end ofsaid chuck cone and race member.

4. A roll supporting structure for use in a shaftless roll stand andoperative to grip the core of a roll and rotatably support an end of theroll on an arm of the roll stand comprising, rotary bearings secured toan arm of the roll stand, a bearing shaft rotatably mounted in thebearings and secured therein against axial movement with respectthereto, said bearing shaft having an inner end conically configurated,a chuck cone and race member having a conical recess in an end thereof,an annular chuck head coaxially secured to the other end of said memberby a screw extending through said member and threadably engaging saidbearing shaft, a plurality of longitudinally extending ball race groovesin the outer face of the chuck cone and race member, a plurality ofbearing balls disposed in each of said ball race grooves, a plurality ofchuck race segments equal to the number of ball race grooves in saidmember, each having a ball race groove therein to rollingly engage saidbearing balls, said segments having an axial dimension less than theaxial dimension of said chuck cone and race member, a resilientlyexpandable friction tire overlying said segments and retaining saidsegments in place and properly arranged, said tire having a diametergreater than that of said chuck head when expanded and less than that ofsaid chuck head when contracted by release of said segments to rolltoward said other end of said chuck cone and race member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS537,789 Sinclair Apr. 16, 1895 1,527,539 Damon Feb. 24, 1925 2,075,192George Mar. 30, 1937 2, 98,759 Fouse Oct. 13, 1942

